Semantic search
| Questioning | Questioning Techniques in Primary Science | |
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Asking questions about what students saw, measured, understood. About what could happen, happened, should have happened... and more. This resource offers the opportunity to think about the appropriate questions to ask at various stages of investigation and how to ensure high quality questioning(ta) at these points. This is obviously an important classroom skill, one which has a strong impact on children's progression, yet which can often be lacking in classrooms which tend to focus on fact-based recall questions. This resource offers an opportunity to think about such an activity and some prompts for applying questioning techniques. Although they are written for science, these suggestions could be used as prompts for application in other subjects.
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| Reading skills | Reading and discussing popular science articles | |
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Read. Get the world's view and see how science works for real The resource relates to the importance of:
It can be delivered through a combination of homework(ta) (perhaps to find an interesting article), group work(ta) to explore various articles (perhaps in a carousel), and/or use of ICT(i) including PowerPoint files to encourage students to present an area they are interested in. | |
| Sampling | Sampling techniques to assess population size | |
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| Science | Primary Science Investigation | |
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What is involved in 'doing a science investigation'? And what is there to assess? This resource describes the process of doing an investigation for inquiry(ta)-based learning. Teachers could share practice(i) and lesson planning(ta) ideas using the list of pupil skills (e.g. observing). It also lists learning goals for investigation skills (e.g. observing, predicting, problem solving) and ideas for exploring different types of practical work(ta) in science.
It could be used for discussion(ta) or brainstorming on how to apply these skills to different content areas. The resource emphasises engaging pupils in the scientific method(ta) - using higher order(ta) thinking skills, group work(ta) and dialogue(ta) to facilitate knowledge building(ta)/reasoning(ta). | |
| Science | Listening to scientists - Using sensors and data loggers for agriculture | |
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How do plant growers and scientists monitor the environment? What do they measure and why? This resource was made for general public interest but may find use as enrichment material for science, technology and geography.
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| Science | Listening to scientists - an environmental scientist talks about heat loss from houses | |
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How does a house lose heat? What are the ways to stop this loss of heat? This ten-minute recording was made for a local radio show with a strap line that 'science has a use after school'. Audio podcasts, of which this is one, replace easily-missed radio shows and keep us informed. Universities also create podcasts, and just some teachers do too, gaining the unusual advantage that a podcast easily gets into a student's music player.
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| Shape | Getting Your Formulae in Shape | |
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Solving a card sort for perimeter, volume and area formulae This resource provides an opportunity for some revision of shape formulae - perimeter, area, and volume. It encourages pupils to engage in effectivereasoning(ta), and group talk(ta), and could be used as an effective assessment(ta) tool. The task could be differentiated(ta), or extended for a whole class by cutting the 'formulae' lines off the bottom of each hexagon, and asking students to match these to the shapes, prior to matching the shapes to the formulae type.
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| Simultaneous Equations | Love Food, Hate Waste - Simultaneous Equations | |
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Using real world data to explore simultaneous equations Using a source that was not intended by its creators as a mathematical resource, pupils are introduced to informal ways of solving simultaneous equations.
The lesson starts with an intriguing ‘hook’, pupils are able to use reasoning(ta) skills to find an answer to the problem and can then, later, formalise this in an algebraic context, using their informal work to support the transition to mathematical thinking(ta). whole class(ta) work supports this inquiry(ta) into the data provided. Using a resource not targeted at mathematics specifically encourages pupils to think about maths outside of the classroom. | |
| Standard Index Form | An Introduction to the Standard Index Form | |
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Working out the rules according to which a calculator displays large numbers The Standard Index Form is a key idea for mathematicians and scientists. The notion that we choose to write numbers in this way requires some explanation. So in this activity, pupils take part in an investigation(ta) on how standard index form works. This is a higher order(ta) problem solving context where students are encouraged to engage in mathematical thinking(ta). They may be involved in whole class(ta) or small group work(ta) discussion(ta), so they have a good opportunity to practice using mathematical language(ta) and questioning(ta).
This means that students do not need to be able to explain their ideas in full: they can use the calculator's feedback to discover whether their ideas are correct or not. This is also an exciting way for pupils to realise an initial idea that fits the data may need to be extended when new data arises. This resource therefore aims to develop investigative skills, as well as introduce pupils to standard index form in a memorable way. The pupils can later use their knowledge of indices in discussion(ta) and group talk(ta) as they explain what is happening. | |
| Statistics | Cubic Equations and Their Roots | |
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To interactiviley explore and understand complex mathematics with GeoGebra This lesson features a ‘real life’ example for students to explore using visualisation(ta) via GeoGebra. The focus on ‘real life’ increases student motivation.
The activity engages pupils in group talk(ta), mathematical thinking(ta) and vocabulary(ta). This open ended(ta) task encourages higher order(ta) thinking, and encourages whole class(ta) discussion(ta)/questioning(ta) and inquiry(ta) projects. | |
| Using ICT in Science Teaching | Effective Use of ICT | |
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A resource for lecturers to introduce their PGCE students to effective use of ICT A presentation introduces student teachers briefly to the history of school ICT(i) provision and engages them in more detail with ways ICT has been used effectively in supporting science teaching and learning as they engage in small group work(ta) to evaluate material.
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| Using images | Organising images for a narrative | |
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Write an essay without words The lesson encourages students to think about how to portray their knowledge through narrative(ta) - which may engage some students who would usually be less interested. The lesson encourages students to think about how to capture valuable information and ensure that key elements are highlighted while not 'overloading' the viewer with data. The lesson can be tailored to any age group - for younger pupils the task could be to take before and after photos and label them. More advanced pupils might explore time-lapse photography. Pupils should be encouraged to think about how this relates to the scientific method(ta) The task is interactive and could be conducted as a group work(ta) activity or as an element of an inquiry-based learning project. It could also lend itself to whole class(ta) dialogue(ta) and the use of ICT(i) including 'clicker' response systems for assessment(ta) and questioning(ta).
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| Video | Digital Video in ITE | |
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Student teachers producing digital media This activity is a cross-curricular(subject) activity, involving a collaborative(tool) approach, giving student teachers the opportunity to work together whilst making digital media in the form of films. The activity furthers e-skills(topic) and also helps to develop discussion relating to e-safety(topic). The topic of location provided the stimulus for the videos. Equally, however, this approach could be applied to any topic or subject in school. The use of video also encouraged active learning(ta), with the students developing their own skills through direct participation in the creation process.
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| Visualisation | Perimeter of a rectangle. | |
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Interactive GeoGebra investigation that allows children (age 6-10) to explore an element of mathematics for themselves.
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